Random musings about London's history

Mr Punch in Mayfair

For various reasons I haven’t had time to re-publish more interesting funnies from Mr Punch in London Town just lately. But I shall. Meantime, I have now in my possession another volume from the same series (The Mr Punch Library), this one called Mr Punch in Mayfair. The best of Mr Punch in London Town involved the wit of the working class poor, often in street situations and often featuring inter-class badinage. By contrast, Mr Punch in Mayfair is mostly toffs only and most of the drawings are indoors, so although it has Mayfair in the title, it is not noticeably London in flavour. Nontheless, a few of them are pretty good, I think. First up, one by the wonderful Fougasse, aka Kenneth Bird.

“Did you ring, sir?” “Yes; there’s a wasp in the room.” – by Fougasse.

GENTLEMAN OF LEISURE (engaging valet): Are you an early riser? VALET: What hour do you usually come ‘ome, Sir?” – by Kenneth Beauchamp